Littlenight's Betrayal

Chapter 6

"No! Smoketalon... you can't leave us now!"
      Kestrelflight's distraught yowl rang through the camp. Littlenight leapt to his paws as the medicine cat wandered miserably out of his den         "Smoketalon is dead!" He wailed. Brindlefoot ran into the den
     "Smoketalon... please... don't leave me! I can't lose my grandfather and my brother in the same day!" Littlenight followed her into the den and saw the grey cat gently poke Smoketalon. His body stayed unmoving, and when Littlenight touched his nose to the young cat's body, he could smell the stench of death. Silently, Kestrelflight walked inside again beside Littlenight "Whenever I cannot save a cat, I feel a sense of failure" He paused "Like I have failed the cat, the clan and even StarClan!" Kestrelflight sighed.
      Littlenight wandered around the side of Smoketalon and saw the infected gash on his stomach. Pus was oozing out of it and herbs were plastered to it, but clearly it hadn't been enough.
     The deputy walked outside into the clearing and saw that the Clan was beginning to assemble uneasily in the centre of the camp.
      "What's happened?"
     "Why did Kestrelflight sound so distraught?"
     "Where is Crowfeather?"
     "Silence!" Littlenight yelled above the commotion and the clan fell silent.  He saw Meadowstar emerge at the rop of the Clanmound. He leapt up beside her and told her what had happened.
      "You tell them. They'll want to hear it from a cat who saw what happened" Meadowstar instructed. Littlnight nodded and stood back as the leader's call rang through the camp "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather by the Clanmound for a meeting!"
     Most of the clan was already in the centre of the camp but the few who weren't emerged from their dens and sat with the rest of the cats.
    Meadowstar nodded to Littlenight and he stepped forward.
     "Many of you have noticed that Crowfeather is not in camp. Due to the events of today, I have been forced to exile him, and he now goes by the name of Crow. If he is seen on our clan territory after dawn, you have mine and Meadowstar's consent to attack and kill if this is the need" A few shocked gasps rang around the camp.
     "And what happened to Smoketalon?" A cat in the cluster called.
     Littlenight hesitated "He tried to make Crowfeather come back, but he attacked him- yes, Crowfeather attacked his own kin!" He paused as he watched the Clan digest the news "By the time I got there, Smoketalon was already half dead and I could not save him"
      Breezepelt looked at his son's body, distraught. He got up and ran to Smoketalon's side. Breezepelt sniffed his son, as if expecting him just to be asleep. When he did not respond, he let out a wail and crumpled to the ground.
      Littlenight looked at Meadowstar. She looked frailer than normal. Suddenly, thunder rumbled overhead and the warriors all ran back to their dens. Littlenight took one sweep of his clan; they were all dropping off so quickly, the only question was: who would be next?